50 European leaders assess how Trump will affect their fortunes and seek a common stance on Russia

Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Around 50 European leaders will be reassessing their trans-Atlantic relations in the hope that Donald Trump’s second U.S. presidency will avoid the strife and political pitfalls of his first administration. A government crisis in Germany is further compounding an already complicated situation. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired his finance minister. It raises the specter of an election in a few months and yet another standoff between the emboldened hard right and the establishment parties in Europe. The 27 nations from the European Union bloc will be meeting in a separate summit as soon as other leaders from the United Kingdom, Turkey and the Balkans leave on Thursday evening.